Back in the late 1990s, a distressing trend took hold for rural America. At that time, rural and urban mortality rates started to diverge, with rural populations experiencing 9% higher mortality in working-age adults. Unfortunately, the divide has only grown over time. As of 2019, working-age adults in rural areas were 43% more likely to die from natural causes than their urban counterparts, but researchers have struggled to explain this gap.

If your social media feed has suddenly filled with content about ultra-processed foods (UPFs), you’re far from alone. Since Health and Human Services tasked federal agencies last year with developing UPF guidelines, the buzz has been hard to miss. Yet, despite widespread attention on the topic, federal guidelines have not yet materialized and Americans are unsure how to make healthy choices for their families.

As climate change increases the frequency of drought, excessive rainfall, and other extreme weather events, farmers face growing uncertainty about crop production. Understanding how farmers perceive and respond to that uncertainty can help improve agricultural policy and climate adaptation strategies.

International exchange was a foundational experience for Ron and Melanie Warfield, and now, the couple hopes to help students follow in their footsteps. Through a $1 million gift to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the couple has created the Ron and Melanie Warfield Global Scholars and Experiential Learning Innovation Fund.

Professor Joseph P. Janzen was formally invested as The Clearing Corporation Foundation Endowed Associate Professor in Derivatives Trading in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on May 12.

When the semester ended this May, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign said goodbye to one of its most beloved professors. Paul Stoddard has retired after more than 25 years of dedicated service to the university and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. 

Faculty and students from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign traveled to Springfield on March 24 to take part in the 56th annual Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day, joining leaders from across the state to advocate for agriculture and share the college’s impact.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has named Benjamin Quirke the recipient of the 2026 Robert M. Harrison Leadership Award for demonstrating strong leadership and engagement through his involvement in student organizations and professional experiences within the college.

Paul E. McNamara, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, and Mia Bonds, an undergraduate student in ACE, are winners of 2026 International Achievement Awards from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Illinois International. These awards recognize outstanding alumni, faculty, and students whose exceptional work, service, and/or scholarship has made a significant, global impact. 

Paul E. McNamara